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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25681507">Give Up The Ghost</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMaximumMax/pseuds/TheMaximumMax'>TheMaximumMax</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Paranatural (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - High School, Future Fic, Gen, No Romance, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, Technically canon compliant as of the end of chapter 6 but it won't be when pnat is done</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:53:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,644</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25681507</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMaximumMax/pseuds/TheMaximumMax</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years after the events of 7th grade (8th grade for the more anime of us), the activity club is bigger and doing better than ever. Sure, they might nearly join their ghost friends on the other side every day. You'd be right to show concern about the approaching release of King C from his Isaac shaped prison. Yes, maybe two old friends of Max's are braced to go to war with each other... where was this going? It sounds like it is heading for "But the Activity Club has it all under control."<br/>Spoiler alert: They don't.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dimitri Danger &amp; Collin Sloinne &amp; Suzy, Isaac O'Connor &amp; Maxwell Puckett, Isabel Guerra &amp; Maxwell Puckett, Johnny Jhonny &amp; Ollie Oop &amp; RJ &amp; Stephen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Give Up The Ghost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Soooo this technically does not go against canon at the date I'm writing it, but I am very aware it will no longer work once the comic is finished. It's mostly just me having fun with my favorite characters and arcs. I'm sorry if my love of Cody Jones becomes overpowering.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the sun rose over the hills of Mayview, it’s rays reflected off the dew on the grass to give the entire town the effect of sparkling. The leaves of the trees seemed to get greener under the light, waking up just as much as every dog, bird, and person in town. Tired teachers watched it rise, beating it to the punch to wake up before even the sky felt the need. After all, it was the first day of another school year.<br/>
The golden beams of the day filtered through the window of an apartment over the top of a convenient store. They shone on a father, a sister, and the empty bed belonging to the brother. </p>
<p> “Just DIE ALREADY!” Max shouted, smashing a baseball bat into the giant ghastly mess of whirring barbs and dripping fangs. “I’m so not getting home in time.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “How tough is this thing?” Isabel asked. She was aglow with the rising sun and her red spectral energy, sharply contrasting the bags under her eyes. It was becoming the latest Activity Club fashion statement. Max knew he was sporting them.<br/>
</p>
<p>    A crack of lighting shot the monstrous spirit across the field. It clawed at the ground for foothold, but Isaac was faster, hitting it again and again with terrifying unrelenting power.<br/>
</p>
<p>    The spirit did not go down. Instead, it leapt at the redhead with speed and anger, slamming into him and sending them both tumbling to the ground.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “A LITTLE HELP?” Isaac shouted, as if Max and Isabel were not already racing towards him.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “On it!” Isabel shouted, and then took her words rather literally. She landed on the back of the spirit and- Max was fairly sure this was the technical term- went absolutely ham. He took this chance to drag Isaac out from under the horrifying thing.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Where the heck is Ed with our backup?” Isaac asked, as if Max would have any answers. He just shrugged and swung his bat for the spirit’s incorporeal kneecaps. It launched Isabel from its back in response.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “I’m getting really tired of this guy.” She muttered as she got back to her feet.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “How many hits can it take?” Isaac asked, sending another CRACK of lightning square into its chest.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Enough to make us late to the first day of class, probably.” Max responded. He ducked out of the way of a swiping claw, rolling across the grass to do so while Isabel ran back in.<br/>
</p>
<p>    While he jumped to his feet, Max saw something running towards him.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Look who finally decided to show up!” He called to his other two battle partners as Ed, Dimitri, and Johnny ran towards them, ready for a fight.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Took you long enough.” Isaac said.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “It took some convincing to get them here so early.” Ed explained. Behind him, Johnny ran at full speed towards the spirit, shouting a battle cry of “FOR VALHALLA!!”<br/>
</p>
<p>    He got smacked away like a fly. Dimitri used the distraction to make an impact.<br/>
</p>
<p>    Max let himself feel a second of hope. With their team doubled, how much longer could this take? </p>
<p>+++</p>
<p>    Max tumbled into the convenient store at 8:00, ran up the stairs, yanked his backpack off the floor, grabbed a can of tomato soup for breakfast, and started back towards the exit.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Now where do you think you’re going?” A cheerful voice called from behind the counter.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “School.” Max told his dad. “I’m late.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “And why might thaaaaat be? Could it be because you snuck out and gave your poor sad loving father a heart attack this morning?”<br/>
</p>
<p>    "I went for a run. I’m going to have to go for another one if I want to get to school on time. Thanks for your concern, see you tonight, et cetera et cetera bye!” He bolted out of the sliding doors.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “That’s why you bring your backpack to the job.” Isaac said from where he waited on the sidewalk.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “I didn’t think it would take three hours.” Max argued. They walked down the street towards the high school. Isaac rubbed his arm where the spirit had grabbed him, probably nursing a new bruise.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Is this how you expected to start your junior year?” He asked Isaac.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Honestly? Yeah.” Isaac dropped his hand from his arm “It would be weird if it was a normal first day at this point.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “What does a normal first day even look like in Mayview?” Max snarked. Isaac laughed and shrugged.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “You are asking the wrong person.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    Max rolled his eyes at his friend, trying to focus on the small talk as opposed to the stress building up in his chest. In the long shadows of the morning, Isaac’s skin seemed to glow under his clothes, like lighting through a cloud. His teeth were sharper than they once were, but maybe they had always been like that. He was smiling more these days, after all.<br/>
</p>
<p>    They continued their chatter up the hill toward the school. Jokes about anime, ghosts, and the jerks at Mayview Academy rang through the streets as they did. Once, they would have taken a shortcut to get to school, but these days it was fun to just walk with a friend.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “So then naturally my father has to retaliate at like, double her effort, despite him being a grown man and Zoey being twelve. There are nerf bullets EVERYWHERE, Isaac. They’re coming out of my ears.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    Isaac laughed at the story, but a quick glance over his shoulder killed any fun from his expression.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “What is it?” Max asked.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “We’re being followed.” Isaac said, voice low.<br/>
</p>
<p>    Max glanced over his shoulder. Behind them, about a block back, walked a tall man in a suit much too fancy for a Mayview resident. He wore a hate that cast his face into an ominous shadow, but a crawling feeling on the back of Max’s neck told him he was being watched.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “If I had a nickel for every time I was followed to school.” Max mumbled.<br/>
</p>
<p>    The boys’ steps fell into a practice synchronization, increasing speed ever so slightly.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “It doesn’t look like a spirit or ghost.” Max said softly.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Then we act like it’s a person.” Isaac whispered back. They started chatting again, loud happy tones that carried down the street towards their pursuer. Max pulled out his phone, typing quickly.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Hey man, check out this meme.” He said, showing Isaac the text he had sent Isabel.<br/>
</p>
<p>    <em>We’re being followed to school. Going to try to lose the guy. If we die, Suzy isn’t allowed at my funeral.</em><br/>
</p>
<p>    Isaac rolled his eyes and took the phone. “Oh yeah I love that one.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    <em>And maybe get ready to come save us.</em> He added on.<br/>
</p>
<p>    They continued to talk as they walked, but a quick glance in the reflection of a shop window told Max that the guy was getting closer. He whispered as much to Isaac.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “We’re almost at a place we can lose him.” He whispered back.<br/>
</p>
<p>    Footsteps in perfect sync with one another, they turned down a street suddenly. The second they were out of sight, they took off. They sprinted halfway down the block before turning into an alley. Max almost slid out with the speed they took the turn. Down the alley, feet beating dirt, they slid to a stop in front of a dumpster.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “I hate this maneuver so much.” Max complained, shooting the heavy metal lid open with his bat.<br/>
</p>
<p>    Isaac climbed up and landed on trash. They had seconds before it was too late. Max climbed in after him and shut the lid with his bat, using enough control to keep it from slamming.<br/>
</p>
<p>    Both braced for a fight, trying to ignore the smell. Footsteps wandered down the alley and came to a stop right outside the dumpster.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “I lost them, sir.” A voice said, deep and intimidating. Definitely the voice of a villain, Max decided. A silence followed before the voice spoke again. “Yes sir. They will not be so lucky a second time.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    The footsteps exited the alley, and still the boys waited, counting. A full minute later, Max sent the lid swinging up again.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “I don’t ask for much, Isaac, but a massive spirit and a creepy guy within hours of each other just feels rude.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    He grinned as they climbed out back into the alley.  “I know right. Like, he could have at least waited until lunch to hunt us.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “It’s just basic manners.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    They were careful heading towards school from there on out. They kept their heads up, and in the process forgot to check Max’s phone for a response from Isabel.<br/>
</p>
<p>    <i>I’d come help, but when I got to school someone was waiting for me. She tried to grab me. Meet in club room. </i></p>
<p>+++</p>
<p>
  “Woooowww Dimitri. You look like crap.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    It was hardly the back-to-school greeting he expected, but coming from Suzy he would have nothing else.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “I had some activities to get done before school.” He said with a shrug, brushing the dirt and grass stains off his jacket. Suzy’s smile widened slightly with a knowing venom.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Of course! You weren’t late, so I don’t really care.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    If there was one thing Suzy loved more than the chase of a mystery,  it was having a secret no one else could. It was only a matter of time before she found out about the activity club. When she eventually did, they swore her to secrecy, and it worked. With her attention finally off the club, she could focus her attention on breaking other stories. That worked too. The club had only grown since middle school, and- he could admit- it was something worthy of pride.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “I finished the article you wanted, Suzy!” Jeff said from his computer. She beamed at him.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Email it over! We need to get the nerdy freshmen hooked immediately if we want any new members this year.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    The club was still small, but with Suzy as chief editor and investigator, Dimitri as head writer, Jeff writing on pop-culture, Violet as their graphic designer, and Alex running a conspiracy series, they were making waves.<br/>
</p>
<p>    There was an empty space, of course, but Dimitri knew better than to bring up Collin.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Alright team. Now that we’re all here, let's get a game plan. The bell rings in five minutes. I want information on every SINGLE friend groups’ plan for the school year by the end of the day. Dimitri, you’re on student council duty. Figure out the plans for homecoming before the rumor mill does. Jeff, remember what we said about sending writing nerds right to us? If you let someone slip through our fingers, I am shaving your head…”<br/>
</p>
<p>    Dimitri let her rattle on as he worked on scrubbing at the stains on his jacket. The last thing he wanted was the student council turning him down because he started his day fighting a spirit. His phone lit up, and he reached out to check it.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “DIMITRI!” Suzy whirled on him “I will take a hammer to the screen! Leave it while I’m talking!”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “It could be important.” He said, reaching out and unlocking it anyways.<br/>
</p>
<p>    A text from Ed read: <em>Dude. We need you in the club room STAT.</em><br/>
</p>
<p>    Dimitri looked up from the screen to Suzy’s seething face.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “I have to go.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Dimitri Danger if you leave I swear you will RUE the day-”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “My other club needs me. I’ll check in with you during math. Sorry Suzy.” He packed up his stuff and left before she could argue anymore. 
    
</p>
<p>
He hurried down the hall and up the stairs towards the glorified supply closet they used as a club room these days. As his steps took him closer, a shadow caught his eyes. Standing at the end of the hall was a woman clad entirely in black, with a hat that cast her face into shadow. The only identification on her person was a visitor’s pass on her shirt, naming her “Doris.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    He doubted that was actually her name.<br/>
</p>
<p>    Rather than go into the club room and lead her right to his friends, he kept walking like nothing was wrong, ducking into his first hour classroom to text Ed back.<br/>
</p>
<p>    <em>There’s a woman in the hall. Should I come in anyways?</em><br/>
</p>
<p>    The answer was instantaneous.<br/>
</p>
<p>    <em>NO! Do not engage. I repeat. Do not engage. </em>

</p>
<p>

  
            +++
          

</p>
<p>
   The way Johnny Jhonny saw it, he was owed getting to school late. He spent the first hour of his day fighting a monster, he could cause some mayhem in town with his buds before going to school.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Whatdaya say, pals? I’m thinking we make day one a little worse for some Academy nerds.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    Ollie, RJ, and Stephen agreed, of course. Nothing was more fun than making life a little worse for Academy nerds. They cut across town, away from the public school, making a beeline for Mayview Academy. There were fewer kids walking, of course. The students who went there were far too well off to hike their way to their fancy private school. They might ruffle their uniforms or something. Knowing this, the pack of bullies waited by where the buses let off.<br/>
</p>
<p>    The last kid off the last bus was short for his age. Perfect. He barely made it a few steps before he was grabbed by the clean, pressed uniform and held almost entirely off the ground.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “This kid seems pretty kind, dontcha think, Stephen?”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “What? How am I supposed to- OW. Oh. Yeah Johnny the nicest.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Nice enough to buy us lunch. We really appreciate this level of hospitality while we’re on your hill.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    The kid dug around in his pockets before pulling out a ten dollar bill. He seemed unconcerned as he held it out. “Take it. I have to get to class.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Why ain’t ya scared?” Johnny asked, taking the money. The kid shrugged- it was an awkward motion, held up onto his tip toes by his shirt and all.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “You aren’t scarier than my old best friend. Or my new one either.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “What's that supposed to mean?”<br/>
</p>
<p>    The kid looked at Johnny as if he were bored. He then flicked his eyes behind Johnny, and smiled just a little.<br/>
</p>
<p>    A vaguely familiar voice carried towards him. “Collin, are these guys giving you a hard time?”<br/>
</p>
<p>    Johnny whipped around to find himself face to face with black hair, bright blue eyes, and a wide smile. His hands sat casually in the pockets of his uniform, but his back was straighter and his eyes sharper than any other student nearby.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Just some old bullies, Cody.” Collin said.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Hey… aren’t you that redhead’s friend from middle school?” Ollie asked. “Why should we be afraid of some kid who plays hitball well?”<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Because, GUYS.” Stephen broke in “He was also the secret class president, remember?”<br/>
</p>
<p>    Cody’s smile only widened. “My reputation precedes me! Not that you have to worry about it now. We can all be friends if you let go of my best friend.”<br/>
</p>
<p>    They released Collin, who took a second to brush off his clothing before walking himself over to Cody’s side. Johnny and his gang started to walk away.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Hey wait! You mentioned Jeff. How’s he doing these days?” Cody said.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Dunno. Don’t really keep tabs on random dweebs.” Johnny answered.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Bummer. Let him know I say hi.” His smile barely wavered, but is still wavered.<br/>
</p>
<p>    “Sure.” Johnny said, making his get away before this conversation could get more embarrassing. Collin and Cody watched them go.<br/>
</p>
<p>    Johnny’s phone lit up, a text to a group chat with an old teacher of theirs.<br/>
</p>
<p>    <em>Kids, I heard a report of some dangerous people in town. Be on the lookout, and as always watch each others’ backs.</em><br/>
</p>
<p>    Johnny did not see it though. He was distracted as RJ tapped his shoulder and gestured behind them. Someone was following them back towards the school.

</p>
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